Electric signaling means and system



Dec. 9

L. DEGEN ELECTRIC SIGNALING MEANS AND SYSTEM Filed Dec. 13, 1921Patented Dec. 2, 1924.

LEWIS DEGEN, OF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.

ELECTRIC SIGNALING MEANS AND SYSTEM.

Application filed December To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEWIS DnoEN, a citison of the United States, andresident of Berkeley, Alameda County, State of California, have inventednew and useful Improvements in Electric Signaling Means and Systems, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention has for its object electric devices and circuits by whichany desired signal may be transmitted i romany distant point to a sinaling device with accuracy and certainty. Also where any interruptionin the circuit, as a break in the wire or a short circuit, will beinstantly indicated. showing that the system is not in proper workingorder, and which signal of injury to the circuit will be characteristicof an injury to the system, as for example where employed in a firealarm system, no fire alarm given but only the injury indicated. The

danger or damage signal will be independent oi any transmission of anumber or code from a box station as more fully set forth below.

Another object is the employment of a multiple contact relay adapted tooperate a local circuit to give a. danger signal or to give. a codesignal, depending upon the conditions of the circuit. Other objects willappear from the drawings and specifications which follow. These objectsI accomplish by apparatus located at various signal stations on a closedelectric circuit, in which circuit is interposed a relay and which relayis adapted to actuate contacts for the danger signal and to engagethrough a trip to make or break another circuit to give the desired codeor alarm signal, or to set into operation further apparatus.

By referring to the accompanying dra-v ings my invention will be madeclear.

Fig. 1 illustrates one form oi my relay with the electric circuits andterminal apparatus connected therewith shown diagrammatically, thearmature of the relay occupying its normal position when the circuitsare closed and no signal being given.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic showing of the second position of the relayarmature corresponding with a break in the main circuit as would'beoccasioned by cutting the wire, and is also the first operation of thecode upon ringing in from a code signal box, as shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 3 is the second position of the relay Serial No. 521,988.

tripping mechanism when the circuit has been reestablished.

F 4 shows the operation of the restoringmechanism alter the signalinghas been completed.

Fig. 5 shows the arrangement of relay parts for normal open circuit ofthe alarm circuit closed by the relay when a box is ringing 1n.

Fig. 6 shows diagrammatically an alarm signal terminal box adapted toring in the code signal 21.

Throughout the figures similar numerals refer to identical parts.

The magnet coil 01" the relay is indicated by the numeral 1 which isnormally energized through the circuit connections 2, 3, and which isadapted to actuate the arnature a carrying the trip arm 5, which trip isadapted under certain conditions as set forth below to engage the springcontact arm 6 connected with the circuit wire 7 and making contactnormally with the adjusting screw 8 carried upon the post 9 11 ving thecircuit wire connection 10. The armature 4c normally rests against theinsulated block 11 by the action of the spring 57 which is in tension arelatively weak magnetic pull due to current flowing in magnet 1 and isheld in the eziitended position as shown by the ")IHPFGSSlOH spring 12and adjustable by the i nut and screw 13 so that the arm 4: normally isheld out oi? contact with the points 14: or

15. Contact points 1% and 15 are connected with the circuit wire 16, thearmature being pivoted in the usual well known way at. 17. At 18 is asource or electrical energy having the circuit wires or feeders 3, 10,leading theretrcm. At l have shown a restoring magnet under the controlof the key 19 and having connections to the source of electrical energythrough the wires 20, 21, respectively. Magnet 1, pivots 17 and posts 9,22, 23, are carried upon the insulated base 24: and the 5 pivoted at 25under the action of gravity is normally resting upon the end of v thespring contact 6. It will be seen that in the normal posltion of partsSllOWlIlIl Fig. 1;. there exists a closed circuit across the con- 30.The escapement wheel is normally restrained from rotation by the pawl 31which is retained in its upper position by the magnet 32 and closedcircuit through the wires 7 and 3. Upon the breaking of the circuit 7, 3the spring 33 withdraws the pawl 31 permitting the escapcment wheel 30to rotate under the action of the train of gears and weight 29, causingthe rotation of the cam 28 and the striking of the gong 27 through itshammer and lever at 34:. At 35 is shown a push button adapted to beactuated by the foot or in any other well known Way to cause the springcontact arm 36 to depress breaking the contact between 36 and theterminal 37 of the circuit 2, 10, and when depressed to its lower limitto again make contact at 38 reestablishing the circuit between 36 and10. At 39 I. introduce a resistance which is connected through the wire40 to the contact spring 36. The said resistance I prefer to locate inthe most re" mote portion of the circuit away from the relay and theremay be introduced in said circuit any number of spring contact devices,35, 36, 37, 38, as at ll in series with each other and in the circuit 2,10. At 42 l have shown diagrammatically the circuit wires 2, 10, asbeing enclosed in a cable. It is to be noted that the position ofarmature l as shown in Fig. 1 corresponds with spring 57 being intension. The armature being held in the position shown ly the magneticpull of the magnet 1 in a relatively high resistance circuit. Thismagnetic pull is suliicient to cause the armature 1 to contact at 11,but insufiicient to overcome spring 12 normally under compression. henthe current intensity is increased in magnet 1 the magnetic pull isincreased sulliciently to cause the armature 1 to overcome spring 12 andmake contact at 14. lVhen current is cutoff entirely from magnet 1,spring 57 be ing normally under tension retracts armature 4 making acontact at 15. There will thus be no contact between .4- and 14k or land 15 unless abnormal conditions arise, namely, an increasedmagnetization, or a total loss of magnetization of magnet 1.

The apparatus as above described is particularly adapted to theprotection of banks and the like as providing an alarm system which maybe operated from any point provided with a conta t member These mayadvantageously be arranged under desks or a plurality of them may beconnected on a rail so that depressing the rail, as with a foot underthe counter, will give the required signal.

hen the apparatus is employed as with a series of signal boxesdistributed at differ ent points over a suitable area, as withmunieipal, police or fire alarm systems, and where each signal box isequipped with particular code sending means, I connect the said boxes inseries with the contacts 13 and 1 1 normally closed (see Fig. 6), thelatter being held in its closed position through the position of thetrip arm 15 pivoted at 16 and normally resting on the periphery of thecode wheel 4:7. The code wheel 47 may be rotated in any well known wayas shown diagrammatically by the weight and cord 18 in the direction 19and may be released for operation by the movement to the right of thearm 50, a slot in which arm thereupon is released from the pin 58carried on the wheel 17 and the latter then starts to rotate permittingthe pawl 43 to drop into a notch as at 51. Other signal boxes may beconnected in series on the circuit wires 2, 10, the terminals for one ofwhich are indicated diagrammatically at 52. A (see Fig. l have shown acontact arm similar to that out 6, except that as here arranged thelocal circuit 7, 3, is normally an open circuit and is only closed tomake a signal after the relay has actuated to close the contacts and 56.

The operation is follows: Referring to Fig. 1 current is flowing fromthe source of energy 18 through the wire 10, contacts 37 and 36,onnecting wire 10, resistance 39, circuit wire 2, to the magnet 1 of therelay, and of sufficient intensity to hold the armature 4-, against thespring contact 11 and overcome the tension of spring 57. The circuit ofthe lamp 26 is open the contacts 1 1, 15 are both separated from thecontact at. The local circuit 7, 3, is closed through the magnet 32because the flow is contin uous through contacts 6, 3. The pawl 31 is inengagement with the escapement wheel 30 so that the weight and cord 29are retained wound up and the gong 27 is silent. The interposition ofthe resistance 39 weakens the flow of the current through the magnet 1to such a point that the spring limit stop 11 keeps the armature l inthe position shown in Fig. 1. It now a short circuit occurs in the cable42 the resistance of the circuit being reduced the energization of themagnet 1 is increased, the armature 4 is pulled sufficiently to compressthe spring 12 and contact is made between 1 and 14 cansing the signallamp 26 to be illun'iinated indicating danger on the circuit. If, on theother hand, any of the circuit wires as 10, 2, are cut the energizationof magnet 1 is destroyed and the armature 4: is retracted by the spring57 and contact is made between 4 and 15 causing the lamp 26 to beilluminated and indicating danger. WVhen this latter movement occurs thetrip 5 will fall over the end of the spring member 6 occupying theposition indicated in Fig. 2. It will therefore be necessary whenrepairing the broken wire to restore the arm 5 by releasing it fromengagement with the saring contact 6. This is accomplished manually orby depressing the key 19 which energizes the circuit 20, 21, and themagnet 70, attracting its armature and restoring the trip 5, which willnow again rest upon the top of the spring contact 6. Either of thesemovements above described, either that of short circuit or brokencircuit, will give no signal on the gong 27 but will indicate danger andthe necessity of repairs to the circuit. Assuming now that all the partsare in normal position and itis desired to give an intentional signal ofdanger as to prevent a bank robbery: The contact member is depressed asby pressing the foot upon it under a bank counter or desk. The firstaction is the breaking of the contacts 36, 37; the armature 4 will thenbe released; the trip 5 will engage over the end of the spring 6, andcontinuation oi the movement of 35 will reestablish the circuit throughthe contacts 36 and 38. The armature 4 will now be attracted by themagnet 1 breaking the circuit between the contacts (3 and 8 deenergizingthe magnet 32 releasing the pawl 31; the gear train will now operate thecam 28 causing the hammer 34 to strike the gong 27 and the said gongwill continue to strike as long as the escapement wheel 30 operates.During this actuation the trip and spring arm will occupy the positionindicated in Fig. 3. To restore the circuit conditions the key 19 isdepressed, the pawl 5 is raised through the cnergization of the magnet70,- the spring arm 6 again contacts with 8; circuit is reestablishedthrough the magnet 32 and the pawl 31 reeugages the escapement 3Ostopping the striking of the gong.

f an open local circuit is to be employed with a gong or other signalingdevice; instead of the contact 8 on the right side of the spring 6 Iintroduce the contact 56 on the left side of the said spring (see Fig.5) so that contact will be made therewith when the armature 4 hasengaged the upper end of the spring arm and is thereafter drawn towardsthe magnet l as previously described, establishing contact between 55and 56.

Where a definite code signal is to be transmitted over the circuit thecode wheel 47 (see Fig. 6) is employed with a well known gear train, orotherwise caused to rotate at a constant speed, when once set intooperation, as by the shifting of the lever 50 to the right in which casethe wheel rotates in the direction of the arrow 49. As the slot 51rotates under the pawl 45, the latter falls into the said slot when thespring 53 draws the arm let downwards disconnecting the contact pointsbetween l3 and 4a and causing a momentary open circuit. The armature 4will now he released and the arm 5 will engage the spring 6 ready tostart the code signal, which in this case will consist of two taps, along interval and one tap on a suitable gong in the circuit 7 3. As thewheel 47 rotates the code is given by the pawl 45 riding up on theperiphery at 60, the magnet 1 is re-energized, the arn'iature l nowwithdraws the spring arm 6 from the position of Fig. 2 to the positionof Fig. 3 opening the circuit 3, 7, deenergizing the magnet 32 andcausing the striking of the gong 27. A further rotation of the wheel l7causes the pawl 4-5 to drop into the notch 61 breaking the circuit,after which it rides on the periphery at 62, reestablishing the circuitand then falls into the notch 63 again breaking the circuit through themagnet 1 fol lowed by corresponding signals on the gong 27. Theperipheral spacing and widths of the notches, and the wheel 47 may heformed in the usual well known way to give any code signal required.

I claim:

l. in an electric relay a movable armature having a contact point oneach side thereof, relatively stationary contact opposite and spacedfrom each of said armature contacts, a magnet for attracting saidarmature, a spring for retracting said armature, an insulated anvilmounted on a spring and lightly holding said armature spaced from saidmagnet and the stationary contact on the magnet side of tie armature andwherein the armature is provided with a latch which engages contactingmeans when the armature moves to one extreme I position and thereafteractuates said means on any reverse movement of said armature.

2. An electric relay as set forth in claim 1 and an electromagneticdevice to release said latch from said means to restore the parts tonormal position.

LEWIS DEGEN.

